Mega upgrade planned for Pattaya Airport

Pattaya, known for its vibrant nightlife, has evolved into an international hotspot since the Vietnam War, drawing around 9.4 million tourists in 2022. However, most travelers don't fly into at the local U-Tapao Airport, but instead arrive in Bangkok, about 150 kilometers away.

U-Tapao, originally built by the US military in the 1960s, currently handles just under two million passengers a year. Nevertheless, the airport is now being expanded at a cost of around 400 million euros (just under 380 million francs), as reported by the aviation portal «Aerotelegraph». A new 3,505-meter runway is being built, which should enable up to 70 aircraft movements per hour.

This expansion is part of a broader plan: the region surrounding Pattaya and Bangkok is included in the Eastern Economic Corridor, a special economic zone aimed at becoming one of Asia's leading industrial hubs. U-Tapao will be the core of the planned Eastern Airport Megacity, with a new terminal, a transportation center and areas for air freight and logistics.

After the final expansion, the airport should be able to handle up to 70 million passengers per year, with the costs for the entire project estimated at 2.7 billion euros (approximately 2.5 billion Swiss francs).

U-Tapao is not intended to replace the existing airports in Bangkok, but to compliment them. There are also plans for a high-speed rail line connecting U-Tapao with Bangkok and the other airports. If all necessary permits are granted, the first phase of construction could be completed by 2028.